SubTeams

CAD Team

The CAD team focuses on two things during the development of the robot: designing and recording parts. We can digitally design a part using CAD which allows us to observe its functionality. CAD also focuses on recording existing parts to be stored digitally for future use.In order to design these parts, the team uses Autodesk Inventor, a three dimensional modeling and testing program. TEDCF Publishing, a Team 1719 sponsor, graciously provides us with outstanding tutorials that are crucial for grasping a greater understanding of CAD. Please feel free to peruse the Computer Assisted Design section of our website.

Electrical Team

The electrical sub-team is necessary for the functionality of all other sub-teams. The more physical jobs include hooking up motors for testing, soldering and insulating wires, and setting up practice boards for the programming team. Most importantly, we run every wire on the robot. Our job is fairly restricted by FIRST--we have to stay aware of all of the rules for the electrical and pneumatic components, most of which are in place to avoid fires and exploding air tanks. We don’t like fires. We do like zip ties. Don’t pick batteries up by the wires. A nice overview of the electric and control components of a basic FRC robot can be found here and a schematic of how we put all of this together can be found here. A more detailed electrical plan of the 2014 robot power system can be found here.

Drive Team

If a robot does nothing else it must be able to move about the field; this is the job of the drive team. In addition to the chassis, the drive team is also responsible for the type and configuration of wheels and gearboxes. The time not spent in the aforementioned occupations is used to assemble the bumpers.

Device Team

By far the most variable part of the robot, the device requires the most ingenuity to design and build each season. Responsible for a rather spatially large sector of the robot, the device team often finds itself occupied in prototyping. Given the creative freedom in designing a device, one can never be sure what they’ll come up with.

Programming Team

One of the smallest sub-teams, the programmers bear the weighty task of bringing movement to the robot. Specifically the programming team is responsible for managing sensors, motors, and anything else that receives power on the robot. While FIRST allows for a variety of languages, our programmers prefer Java, which they recently switched to from Lab-View.